Willow

From the lovely young couple who brought us The Grassy Knoll (RIP), this new addition to the Shore is already becoming popular with the locals. Just a mere hop, skip and a jump from the motorway exit, Willow is easy to get to — even for city dwellers. The only downside to it’s location is that it’s in the middle of a block of office buildings so it’s somewhat lacking in the view department. However, with such great food and service, the view, or lack thereof, is pretty easy to get past.
As for the menu, it’s full of modern takes on brunch classics. For example their porridge, which is served with chia seeds, steel cut cinnamon, fruit jelly and fresh cream. Yum! I, however, couldn’t go past their eggs benedict, which they serve with a savoury Japanese pancake instead of an english muffin and a wasabi hollandaise. The pancake was full of herbs and spring onions, and the wasabi hollandaise was lemony with a subtle kick. If I had one complaint it would be that the pancake batter was a little stodgy.
Mention must also be made of the coffee. It was absolutely perfect! So good, in fact, that I couldn’t help but order another one after my meal. I never do that.

Willow opened three weeks ago and is a welcome addition to the North Shore café scene. The café is located literally just off the Greville Road off ramp on the Northern Motorway, at 42 Tawa Drive.
I arrived on a crisp winter morning with a craving for good coffee and scrumptious food. My companion and I were promptly greeted and our coffee orders taken, two soy flat whites which arrived in record time. Coffee was great, however it was served in very small cups. It was so good I almost ordered a second cup when offered but I had a grumpy toddler in two & didn’t feel like tempting fate. I ordered the smoked salmon which tasted like it was house smoked, and it was perched on top of rocket leaves, avocado slices and a charred pea and corn fritter. The salmon was topped with a dill sour cream, and the plate garnished with a sticky balsamic reduction. Unfortunately I could not detect any dill flavour in the sour cream and although the salmon was plump and tasty, it was a tad overlooked for my liking and had two pin bones left in it.
These small falters would not deter me from returning to this delightfully bright and airy café. Their spacious & picturesque courtyard was screaming out for warmer days to arrive as soon as heavenly possible.
Lovely customer service which was very attentive without being at all intrusive.

Came across this new café on the Denizen online magazine (huge fan) and had to try it, since it’s semi-​local.
A catch up– a great excuse to check out this hidden jewel immediately off the Greville on-​ramp, behind the commercial offices. Make sure to turn right before the sign along the street– instead of past it, as I wrongly did (into an unconnected next-​door drive).
Arrived with a hungry stomach for lunch and had to try their Eggs Benedict (2 well done eggs) on a savoury Japanese pancake (very interesting base! liked it a lot) with wasabi hollandaise (which wasn’t too strong) with additional salmon.
Definitely check it out!